


What's in a home?

by thegoddesskym



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: AU after Bruce comes back to life, Damian moves in with Dick, Fluff, Gen, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegoddesskym/pseuds/thegoddesskym
Summary: Bruce Wayne was back. His father was back. Damian was supposed to be happy about that. And he was. His father, the great warrior and unparalleled detective had miraculously returned from the dead. Father was going to take up the mantle of Batman again and Damian was finally going to fight by his side. Just like he had always wanted. It was supposed to make him happy.But he wasn’t, not really.Damian doesn't know where his place is anymore. He just knows he wants to be with Grayson.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne
Comments: 8
Kudos: 274
Collections: the batman family





	What's in a home?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi folks :)  
> This story is a slight AU from after the events of the Batman and Robin Comics from 2009, it diverges right when Bruce comes back. Instead of Dick staying Batman, Bruce returns fully and Dick becomes Nightwing again.
> 
> While this is technically set in Pre-New52, I don't actually refer to any events from that timeline (or any other) except for Bruce's "death" and the Batman and Robin comics. Also there is a fully funcitonal Bludhaven in this which I based on the version from DC Rebirth because it is the one I know the best, also the costumes were Rebirth as well in my head, but I never actually describe them so you can imagine what you want. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

Damian and Grayson had been in the middle of a fight with Hurt when Batman appeared. (Truthfully, they weren’t doing so well and could need the help, but Damian would rather die than admit that.) They had made quick work of the perps surrounding them and then Damian had stood in front of his father for the first time in a year.

“Is that Damian in a Robin costume?”, Batman had asked. Damian wasn’t sure whether it was disapproval or suspicion in his voice. Either way, it wasn’t exactly what he had hoped to hear.

To be fair, Damian wasn’t sure what he had expected. His father and him hadn’t been on very good terms before Batman was supposedly killed and most of what has happened over the course of the last year had gone against Damian’s expectations. Grayson and Pennyworth had constantly told him that most of what his mother had told him about Bruce Wayne was untrue.

Once everything was wrapped up, Grayson had been properly treated and they were back in the bat-bunker, Damian’s expectations continued to fly out the window.

Grayson wanted to go back to being Nightwing. Damian had expected that. It still stung him, though. A part of him had hoped that they would continue being Batman and Robin.

“What happens to Batman and Robin, now?”, Damian asked, looking at his father expectantly. Would he let Grayson stay in the role? Would Damian be allowed to stay? Was Bruce taking his mantle back? Would Damian finally be able to take his rightful place at Batman’s side?

Father looked at Grayson for a short moment, before focusing on Damian.

“Batman and Robin will never die”, he said. “But…” He broke up and glanced at Pennyworth, as if the butler was going to help him. Damian’s heart sank.

“But?”, Grayson asked. He glanced at Damian and gave him a comforting look.

Damian was sure the man could guess what would happen as well.

“I’m not certain that Damian should be Robin. How did that even happen? Where is Tim?”, Father asked, looking around the bunker as if Drake was hiding behind the batmobile.

Damian scoffed and crossed his arms. “Drake is not here.”

Grayson placed a hand on his shoulder, likely to calm Damian down. A useless gesture, Damian was already calm.

“Tim is with the Teen Titans, but he should be back in Gotham by tomorrow morning. He worked very hard to get you back”, Grayson explained. Damian shrugged his hand off.

Father barely acknowledged what had just been said and focused on where Grayson’s hand was just lying.

“And as for Damian, I made him Robin. And he’s good at it, he had a lot of training and has come very far in the last year”, Grayson continued, now also crossing his arms. “Don’t take it away from him.”

“I’m not trying to take it from him”, Bruce protested. Grayson rolled his eyes and even Pennyworth gave the man a hard stare.

“You don’t trust me”, Damian said. He knew that had been the case before Father had vanished. But Damian had done so much to get better in the last year. He had stopped killing and instead started saving people and he had learned to appreciate and protect the innocent. He had learned to follow orders and to work in a team. He had left his mother. Damian’s entire life had been completely flipped on his head.

Why was he still not good enough for his father?

Damian’s sight was slightly blurry and he blinked furiously to get it to clear. He was not going to show the three older men in the room how much this was affecting him. Father would never accept him then.

“Of course we trust you”, that was Grayson. “Bruce is just very bad at communicating his feelings.” Grayson gave Damian a soft smile. The young boy turned his head away, but didn’t miss the glare Grayson shot their father.

Damian was aware that Grayson trusted him. Robin had gotten his Batman out of enough tight situations that trust was nearly guaranteed. In return Damian had started to trust in Grayson’s decisions and started following his lead with only mild complaints.

In a way Damian had also started to trust Pennyworth. The old butler patched him up after patrol, fed him and offered advice both during everyday life and the night job. Without his and Grayson’s care and patience Damian would have a much harder time adjusting to a normal life.

Even Drake, Cain, Gordon and Brown were individuals Damian was sure would come to his aid when he needed it.

With a start Damian realized he wasn’t sure his father would.

He quickly shook that thought from his head. Of course the Batman would come safe him, that was his job.

Damian looked back up to where the adults were now heatedly discussing him. Grayson had moved in front of Damian, shielding his view of his father. Pennyworth was standing by the side with an exhausted look on his face. The old man must have heard these arguments countless times.

Gordon had once mentioned that Father and Grayson couldn’t be in a room longer than five minutes without having a fight. Damian hadn’t believed it. After all, Grayson respected Father. Why would he ever dare disagree with him. He had quickly learnt that Grayson didn’t much care for authority.

“He tried to kill Tim!”, Father hissed.

“That was over a year ago. People can change and grow you know? Not everybody is constantly stuck in the past like you!”, Grayson shot back.

Damian wasn’t sure what that meant but from what he could see, Father didn’t like it.

“What are saying, Dick?”

“I’m saying that you never learned to move on and instead bury your feelings under your suit. You think scaring people into submission and beating them up is a good outlet for your repressed emotions. But normally people don’t function like that. Not even you can. And that is why instead of healing you only go further down the spiral of vengeance, hate and suffering. And you expect everybody else to follow you.”

Damian stared at Grayson’s tense shoulders, wondering if what he was saying was true. Was Father truly not a well-functioning person? Mother had always praised him for being Batman but Grayson always made it seem like a bad thing. Like Batman was not something one should aspire to be.

“Come on, Dami. It’s late and there’s school tomorrow”, Grayson suddenly said and Damian could only nod and follow him to the elevator.

* * *

The next day was tense. They were all staying in the penthouse for the next few days until Wayne Manor was ready. A part of Damian was ready to finally move back into the family estate. But a part of him also wanted to stay in the penthouse. It had turned into a home during the past few months and its familiar rooms were comforting. The entire place was big enough that its three inhabitants weren’t constantly in each other’s way, but also small enough to fill every room with life and warmth.

When Damian returned from school he found Grayson and Father in the kitchen resolutely ignoring each other’s presence while eating. Alfred just sighed before moving further into the room to prepare a snack for Damian. The boy quickly excused himself from the room and went to find Titus.

The dog was curled up in a sunny spot in the living room and Damian sat down besides him. Immediately Titus laid his head into his lap and Damian started petting him. Idly he wondered if Titus would like the Manor’s grounds. He would have a lot more space to play there than he did in the penthouse.

It was a few minutes later that Grayson sat down next to him. “B wants to take up the cowl again in a few days”, he said softly.

Damian looked up at him. His brother was giving him a small comforting smile. “You two will get along great, don’t worry.”

“What about you?”

Damian hated how needy this sounded but Grayson didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m going back to Bludhaven I guess. I’m no longer needed here.”

Damian wanted to protest. Of course Grayson was needed. Who else would go out for walks with Titus when Damian was in school? Who would be there to appreciate his art? To take Damian to the arcade and the cinema and the zoo? Who would save him when he got in trouble during patrol?

Instead he just nodded.

“You know that Bruce loves you, right? You might need a few days to get comfortable with each other but once he knows you better, he will adore you.” With that Grayson patted him on the shoulder and stood up. “If anything happens you can always visit me, alright?”

Damian nodded sharply and turned back to petting Titus. The dog whined and Damian felt like doing the same. He didn’t want to be left alone again.

His mother had left him with his father, who had already had children he loved. Damian quickly realised that as long as his siblings were there, Damian wouldn’t be needed nor wanted. So he had tried to get rid of Drake. By now Damian was thankful that he had failed. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened to him had Red Robin died. Grayson would have never taken him in then.

Then Father had left. That had been without a choice on Father’s part, but again Damian had been all alone with new and unfamiliar people around him. Then Grayson had given him Robin and a home and suddenly he wasn’t alone anymore.

And now Grayson was leaving him with his father, whom he didn’t know and who still didn’t want Damian. Drake was probably going to return to the manor as well and Damian was going to lose Robin.

And if all of that was gone, who did he have? Mother didn’t want him anymore after Damian refused her. Grayson wouldn’t want him anymore, now that he didn’t have to be Batman anymore. Drake and Brown disliked Damian and the feeling was very much mutual. Cain wasn’t in Gotham anymore and Gordon had her own team. Pennyworth maybe? But no, the man was very much on Father’s side. That only left Todd and Damian shuddered when he thought about going to him to curb his loneliness.

He had tried everything to be what others wanted from him. Why was it never enough?

Titus’ face grew blurry and Damian realised he was near tears again. He quickly brushed them away before any could fall.

“Oh Dami”, Grayson sighed and Damian realised the man was still in the room. He pressed a hand against his eyes in embarrassment. No one was supposed to see this.

“Hey, don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere”, Grayson said and two warm arms enveloped the young boy.

Damian immediately tensed in the hug. The soft voice of his brother and the warmth of the embrace mad the tears come faster and soon Damian couldn’t hold them in anymore.

“Yo-you’re leaving m- … Gotham”, he sobbed.

Grayson shifted slightly and Damian hid his face against Grayson’s shoulder. “I’m not leaving you”. There was a soft hand brushing through his hair. “I will still be your brother and I will always be there for you.”

“B-but you’re going away!”

“Just because I’m in a different city doesn’t mean I won’t be seeing you, Damian. You can always come visit or I will be over at the Manor.”

“But why?”, Damian asked into Grayson’s shirt. _Why do you want to leave me? What did I do wrong?_

“It’s not your fault”, Grayson said. Damian wondered how the other vigilante could always guess what he was thinking.

Damian was pushed away and held up by his shoulders. He tried to hide his red face and teary eyes, to no avail. “Hey, look at me”, Grayson said and Damian lifted his head. Grayson’s blue eyes were also wet. Sentimental fool.

“Bludhaven needs Nightwing and so do I. Being Batman is exhausting, both physically and mentally and I just need a break from this city. This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me, okay? Don’t ever think that I don’t want you around.”

Damian didn’t really understand it but he nodded anyway. It felt good to be wanted by someone. “So we can’t be a team anymore? Weren’t we the best?”, Damian asked.

Grayson laughed slightly and pulled Damian back into the hug. “We were the best”, he confirmed. “And if I could I would just take you with me, but I can’t. You have to stay with your father. And that’s Bruce, not me.”

But why couldn’t it be Grayson?

No! Bad thought. Father was a great man, many would kill to have the honour of being related to him. Damian _was_ honoured.

“I don’t see a reason why Damian shouldn’t be able to live with you, Dick”, a new voice said.

Damian quickly scrambled out of Grayson’s embrace and to his feet. He wiped at his eyes once before turning to his father, who was standing in the doorway.

“I heard what you said, Damian, and I’m sorry if you feel like I don’t want you as a part of this family. I do. And besides what Dick thinks”, here Father shot Grayson a mock glare, “I am indeed able to see when I have hurt my children. I don’t want you to feel unwelcome or like you have to prove yourself to me, Damian. You are my son and that is all that really matters.”

Damian sniffed. “I didn’t mean to insinuate that I don’t appreciate you taking me in. I am very much willing to work together with you.”

“You don’t have to work with me. You are my son and that means that you are welcome in my home”, Father said and Damian let out a sigh of relief. “I do however think that it would be easiest for us all if you were to continue living with Dick, at least until all the necessary work regarding my return has been done.”

Damian grew confused. He was welcome but also not? He glanced at Grayson who was still sitting on the floor and then back towards Father. What was he missing?

“What he is trying to say,”, Grayson started and Damian turned towards him, glad that someone would explain. “Is that this is a time of many changes and it would be better for you to live with familiar people during it. Bruce needs a bit of space to figure out how he fits into this world now.”

A small weight dropped from Damian’s chest. He wanted to continue living with Grayson. Even if it was in Bludhaven.

“Is that alright for you?”, Father asked. He had come closer now and was leaning down towards Damian in what seemed to be comfort.

“What about Batman and Robin?”, Damian asked instead of giving an answer.

“Don’t worry about that, Red Robin and Batgirl are perfectly able to keep Batman company”, Grayson cut in.

In that case, Damian knew what his decision would be.

* * *

Father insisted on paying for Grayson’s new apartment. Damian wasn’t quite sure why Grayson hadn’t taken advantage of that offer and gotten a big and airy space like their penthouse. Instead Damian was now standing in a small two bedroom apartment with only one bath and a small kitchen that was connected to a living area. Titus was sitting next to him looking around the room with interest.

“Father would have bought you anything, why this … hovel?”

“Excuse you, this isn’t a hovel, it’s homey. And I don’t like Bruce giving me money because it makes me feel like I owe him or something.”

Grayson was sprawled on the ratty sofa with his feet on the creaking coffee table. “Sit down, Dami. You’re stressing me when you’re just standing there.”

Slowly Damian set down his backpack and then made his way over to sit next to his brother. For a short while the both just stared at the peeling tapestry on the wall above the old TV.

“This place really is a hovel”, Damian declared. Titus barked in agreement.

“Do you want to know the secret of what makes a good home?”, Grayson asked.

Damian nodded slightly.

“First of all, home isn’t just a place, it’s people. Those that you consider your family, the people that make you feel safe and loved. Your dog could be your home.”

“What has that to do with this hovel?”, Damian asked in confusion.

“Well, the second thing is that you can’t just buy a home, you make one. You can buy a new apartment, but to make it a home you have to make it your own. You have to make it your safe space, somewhere you want to come to at the end of the day. If you hate the place you live at it will never feel like home.” Grayson turned slightly so that he could look at the younger boy properly. “Well you see this hovel doesn’t look like much, but that’s because we haven’t made it into something we want. But right now you are here, so it already feels a bit like home. Don’t you think?”

Damian thought about it. He let his gaze sweep over the few pieces of mobiliary that were in the room before it landed on his brother. The place didn’t look like much but Damian was sure that wouldn’t matter as long as he was with Grayson.

“You are a sentimental fool”, Damian said. Grayson grinned and leaned over to ruffle his hair.

“Tomorrow we will start on freshening this place up, but until then I want to show you around town.”

* * *

Grayson’s idea of a sightseeing trip consisted in dressing up in colourful costumes and climbing over rooftops. It felt almost familiar to be doing this. Damian was dressed in his Robin outfit, following the dark form of his brother over alleys and up fire-escape ladders. The only difference was that this time Grayson wasn’t dresses as Batman but was instead wearing his Nightwing outfit and the rooftops were different from normal.

Damian had only ever been to Bludhaven once and then he hadn’t bothered to actually give the city more than a passing glance. This time he would be staying for an undefined amount of time, so he tried to familiarize himself with the city. The air felt different from Gotham, there were fewer skyscrapers and more bright neon lights. The casino strip and the boardwalk were colourful beacons in the night.

Bludhaven supposedly had as much crime, if not more, than Gotham. But were Gotham dealt with an abundance of crazies in Halloween costumes, Bludhaven had more gangs and corruption in all parts of public life. Damian wasn’t yet sure what he thought of all of it.

Currently they were sitting on the edge of a roof, looking out over one of the major streets. A big crowd of people was on their way to enjoy their evening, a steady stream of noise and light.

Damian glanced over at Grayson, who was sitting beside him, swinging his legs slightly. There was a content look on his face and a relaxation to his shoulders Damian had never seen before. Not during the night shift at least.

Grayson seemed to notice he was being stared at because he flashed Damian a short smile. “There is a good pizza place down the street from here. We can get some and eat them in the hovel?”, Nightwing suggested.

Damian blanched. They had never gotten take out before. Normally Pennyworth would have a meal ready for when they returned after patrol. Damian would have to get used to the idea of doing these things himself now.

Grayson took Damian’s silence as an affirmation and led the way towards the roof of the pizza place. “You can wait up here if you want, it won’t be long.”

Damian quickly shook his head. He would not be left behind on a rooftop in a foreign city.

They used their grapple guns to get down to street level and then Nightwing entered the front of the restaurant like it was perfectly normal. Robing lingered for a second in front of the door, unsure whether it was a good idea to just walk into a civilian restaurant in costume. But then Nightwing was holding the door for him and Robin wasn’t about to let him wait.

The inside was much warmer and packed with people. They garnered a few curious looks as they made their way to the takeout counter. “What do you want?”, Nightwing asked. He was looking up at the menu, slightly drumming his fingers on the counter. It was weird seeing him so relaxed and unbothered. Damian wondered if that could be him one day.

“I’m guessing you want the veggie?”, Nightwing suggested. “With orange juice?”

Robin nodded slowly. Truth was, he had never really eaten American pizza before and wasn’t sure what to order. Thankfully, Nightwing seemed to know his way around this place.

Once they had ordered, Robin took a seat at the bar and sipped his orange juice.

“Are you the real deal, kid?”, a man next to him asked.

Robin bristled. Of course he was the real Robin. How dare they assume he was an imposter. Until Drake started to fight him for the mantle, he was the one and only Robin.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would a superhero from Gotham go for a bite in the Blud?”, the woman at the man’s side answered.

“Ya, also. Isn’t Nightwing dead?”, another man entered the conversation.

Robin felt like he was supposed to say something. Tell people that Nightwing was very much alive and make sure the message stuck. “No he isn’t”, he said. It came out more defensive than it was intended.

The second man laughed. “Well, either he died or he ran off. Good riddance, I say.”

“I think it’s a pity. Guy sure was a snack to look at”, the woman sighed.

With a quick move Robin was across the bar and in front of the man, holding a batarang to his neck. A gloved hand fisted into the man’s shirt and pulled him forward slightly. “I will not allow you or anyone else to speak about my brother in this manner”, he growled.

The man’s eyes widened in shock, while the woman squeaked and scrambled away from them. “Please, it was a joke”, the man stammered, holding his hand’s up.

“Well, I do not appreciate these kinds of jokes. For your information, I am from now on operating in this city as well and trust me when I say that I will make sure that the likes of you will regret ever speaking ill of my family again.”

The man gulped under the batarang. “I’m sorry, okay. It won’t happen again”, he stammered.

Robin slowly loosened his fist and pulled his batarang away. With one last growl he shoved the man back into his seat and returned to his own orange juice. Nearly everyone in the restaurant was staring at him, one of the waiters had dropped a tablet. Nightwing was frowning at him.

Instantly a trickle of guilt crept down Damian’s back. He hadn’t wanted to cause a scene. What if Nightwing was now banned from this place because of him. He glanced at the man who was sitting on his stool in shook and rubbing his head. Had Damian overdone it? He didn’t feel bad that he had defended his brother’s honour, but maybe he shouldn’t have threatened him. Was Grayson disappointed in him? Would he be sent back to Gotham?

“So is it true, you really back in the Blud?”, a voice asked. It belonged to the man behind the takeout counter who was currently packing away their pizzas. Nightwing turned towards him with a blinding smile. “Sure am. Brought my Robin with me, he’s a bit overeager.” Damian bristled at being called that but it was better than some other things that could have been said. Like aggressive or uncontrollable or whatever else some of the other Bats had called him.

“What’s Robin doing in Bludhaven?”, someone whispered.

“Yeah, should stay in Gotham. We don’t want him here”, another said.

“Yeah I can see that”, the cook said. “Protecting family is very important to me, so he has my welcome.” Most of the patrons turned back towards their meals at that, but some still eyed Robin warily. “Here’s your food. Please don’t attack anyone in my establishment again”, the cook said and handed Nightwing two boxes.

“Thanks, see you around!” and with that Robin was grabbed and dragged into the cool night air.

“Robin, I know you meant well, but please don’t attack people again.”, Nightwing said once they were safely back on the rooftop and on their way home.

“He insulted you, said he wished you were dead and his companion insinuated very inappropriate things”, Robin tried to explain himself.

Grayson laughed. “Yeah, I know. You just have to ignore these comments. There’s a lot of people in life who want to drag you down with their words. Don’t let them. Stand above them and show them they can’t hurt you”

Damian looked down to hide his red cheeks. “I shouldn’t have done that. I will understand if I have to go back to the Manor now.”

“Oh don’t worry, we all do impulsive stuff sometimes. Especially as Robin. It’s a part of the whole shtick. Now come on, pizza is getting cold and we have to leave early tomorrow to get some stuff for the hovel.”

* * *

Said hovel was a welcome sight for Damian, it was really getting cold outside. Titus was sleeping on the sofa but perked up when Robin climbed through the window. He gave his dog a welcome pat before trying to find two plates for their food. “Don’t bother, we’re just gonna eat them from the box”, Nightwing called. He had already divested himself of most of his suit, so Robin ventured into his room to do the same. Unlike Grayson, Damian did have a sense of decency.

His bedroom was rather small, much smaller than the penthouse, and there was only a single bed. They would get most of Damian’s things tomorrow, so it looked rather drab at the moment.

“We should put up a picture”, Grayson called from outside. “They are the first thing to making a home.”

Damian didn’t have that much experience in making homes, so he decided to trust that Grayson knew what he was doing.

He quickly divested himself of his suit and slipped into comfy clothes. He carefully folded his tunic, pants and cloak before laying them on his bed. They had been transported in his backpack, but Damian was unsure if that was a good hiding place. Tomorrow there would be people coming to bring his furniture and he didn’t want them accidently stumbling across his uniform.

The uniform looked a little less colourful in this drab room. Like it was sucking the colour out of it. The R-symbol wasn’t as shiny as usual and there was grime on his boots. A stain on the yellow inside of his cloak was sure to be hard to remove. Bludhaven already left her mark on his uniform.

Damian thought about the people at the pizza place. They sure hadn’t been happy to see him. It could be because he had attacked a patron, but even when he had first entered he had received a few antagonistic looks.

It wasn’t a secret that a big chunk of Bludhaven’s population didn’t like superheroes, especially Gothamites. But if Damian was supposed to stay here for the foreseeable future, then Robin would operate here as well. But if the people didn’t like him and didn’t want him, why should he stay?

On the other side, the cook had seemed nice enough and had welcomed him. That had to mean something.

How had Nightwing done it?

Damian left his uniform on his bed and ventured back into the living room where Grayson and Titus were already on the sofa eating pizza. Damian grabbed his own box and sat down next to them.

“You were in there for a while. Everything alright?”, Grayson asked.

“Do the people here want Robin?”

Grayson set down his slice of pizza and so Damian settled in for an explanation.

“Well, you know that Gotham capes aren’t exactly Bludhaven’s favourite people.”

Damian nodded impatiently. He had already come to this conclusion himself.

“Robin is very much a staple of Gotham, of the Bat. That’s what most people first associate with Robin. Even with the Justice League or the Titans, Robin is always in Batman’s shadow. It’s a blessing and a curse.”

“So you created Nightwing, to step out of the shadow and be recognized as your own hero instead of Batman’s?”, Damian asked. Drake had mentioned something like this once.

“Yeah exactly. To be fair, I was already fired from Robin at the time, so I was a bit petty and named myself after Superman”, Grayson laughed.

“Superman?” This honestly surprised Damian a lot. He had always assumed that it was a reference to Grayson’s origin as Robin and the Dark Knight, but a reference to Superman? Did Father know this?

“Yep. Contrary to popular belief, I actually put a lot of thought into my codenames and costumes. Like Robin. That was my mother’s nickname for me as a child and the colours of the suit are my family’s colours. Makes it a homage to my parents. Then of course the more Bruce added changes to it, the more it also became an honour to him, my second father. And with every Robin that added their own changes it also became a honour to them”, Grayson explained.

He put his pizza box on the rickety table in front of them. Titus dragged a piece of salami from his pizza and ate it. “Hey that’s mine! Get your dog under control”, Grayson tried to get it back. Damian just patted Titus on the head. “You’re encouraging it!”, Grayson accused. “I will just have to eat yours instead.” He reached over and stole one of Damian’s slices. The boy let him. Damian was a bit too busy thinking.

“So Robin is basically your family legacy? Then why do you let anyone else wear them?”, he asked. He couldn’t imagine his mother or grandfather ever encouraging something like that. Legacy was sacred to them. No one except the most worthy would ever receive the honour of being an Al Ghul. That worthiness was of course blood relation.

“’cause you are all my family, too.”, Grayson said it like it was that simple. He always had a very simple outlook on family. Damian couldn’t quite agree, but he did feel touched that Grayson considered him a worthy member of his family.

“But yeah, Nightwing was named after I stayed with Clark for a bit.”, Grayson continued. “He used to tell me a lot of stories from Krypton whenever he babysitted me. My favourite was that of Nightwing and Flamebird. And when I was searching for a new identity he suggested those. They were Kryptonian heroes, legends really. Nightwing stands for change and rebirth, I think that was quite fitting to what I was trying to do.”

“Does Father know that?”

Grayson laughed. “Of course not, he would probably die of shock if I told him I named myself in honour of his greatest enemy.”

“Is that why Bludhaven accepted you? Because you didn’t have this obvious connection with Batman?”

Grayson shrugged. “Maybe, or maybe they just figured they wouldn’t get rid of me and gave up trying to oust me.” He leaned forward slightly and placed a comforting arm around Damian’s shoulder. “But seriously, Dami. It will take a bit of time but they will accept you. No one is going to force you to leave if you don’t want to.”

Damian snuggled into his brother’s arm slightly, before he noticed what he was doing and stopped. He wouldn’t be turned sentimental.

Grayson, thankfully, pretended he didn’t notice. Titus was giving him a knowing look. Damian gave him more salami.

“Maybe they are right though. Maybe I really shouldn’t be here. Robin is Batman’s partner after all.”, Damian mumbled.

“Who says that? Robin can be the partner of whomever he chooses”, Grayson declared. “But if Robin wants to be someone else, than that is also a choice he has.”

“You mean, I should give up Robin?”

Give up the one thing that held Damian together after all that happened. The mantle that gave him a sense of home for the first time?

“No. I’m saying you can, if you want. That is entirely your choice.”

Damian nodded in thought. He took a bit of pizza and started chewing. It was quite good.

The silence that settled between the three of them was comfortable. The soft hum of the heater in the background, the slight flickering of the lightbulb. There was a car speeding by the window. Damian could see one of the casinos in the distance. The wall with the peeling tapestry didn’t look quite so bleak in the soft glow of the lightbulb. Grayson, true to word, had hung up a picture. It was one of Damian’s drawings. It depicted Titus in a park in Gotham with Pennyworth.

“Your art is really good”, Grayson said quietly.

“You think so? It could use some more work. I haven’t been able to keep up with it for a while.”

“Yes. It’s great. You’re doing great. Now eat your pizza before the dog does.”

Damian snuggled back into the sofa. Now that he was sitting here for a while it felt rather soft. Titus’ warmth was pressing into his side, his head lazily nuzzled into Damian’s leg. Grayson was breathing softly next to him. Damian felt more comfortable on this ratty sofa in this little hovel than he had in months. Maybe ever.

Was this what a home felt like?

Damian wanted it to be so. He wanted the hovel to become his home. He wanted Grayson and Titus to be his home. He wanted Bludhaven to be his home. He wanted to finally be himself and do what he wanted without having to consider making his mother or father proud. Grayson was proud of him, that was enough.

“Richard, what is the name of Nightwing’s partner in those stories again?”


End file.
